


Hold your head up high (you'll drown, darling)

by chraezanty17



Series: Hunger Games Tributes: On Caesar Flickerman [1]
Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games (Movies)
Genre: 75th Hunger Games, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-02
Updated: 2015-09-02
Packaged: 2018-04-18 08:19:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4698893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chraezanty17/pseuds/chraezanty17
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"You'll have to make them understand why anyone would ever take your place in the Games, aside from blood bounds. Do you understand?"</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hold your head up high (you'll drown, darling)

"Please welcome your host: Caesar Flickerman, ladies and gentlemen!"

Prim was blinded and overwhelmed by the sheer amount of people even before she went on stage. On air, live, for all of the Capitol to see. Out in the open like the deer and squirrels her sister shot each day to help them survive, the arrow piercing flesh straight through the animals' eye. Knowing her fondness for animals, Katniss had always told her that they had never known what hit them.

A quick death - that was supposed to be a good thing, wasn't it?

The mental imagery had made it impossible to directly face the audience - she felt as if she would have seen the sea of faces with an arrow through each of them, drawing gallons of blood. She would not have been able to stand it.

Caesar was nice enough - he had undeniable charisma that had made even her own hate towards the Games and everything they represented temporarily subside. It was all so easy, to let go and allow herself to be swallowed up by the whirlwind of excitement. Until he opened his mouth, showing off gloriously white teeth, to ask her a question that brutally yanked her out of memories of an unlimited supply of food at her disposal on a train that allowed for a bath and an entire wardrobe of clothes that fit her perfectly. A harmless one too, or at least so they would have it seem.

"Primrose Everdeen! How does it feel to have such a famous sister?"

_They never knew what hit them. Just like us. She could be dying as we speak._

The blonde girl smiled politely, feeling like an accomplished and seasoned actress. "I wish she wasn't - so many people paying attention, it becomes annoying quicker than you'd think and makes me uncomfortable. We'd all prefer to have her at home where she will be away from the limelight."

She hardly recognized her own voice - her mind was far away, somewhere in District 12 where she spent her days watching the Games with Gale keeping her company. She knew he suffered at least as much as she did and had unconsciously slipped into Katniss' role of keeping their mother out of a catatonic state of shock. These days, she seemed even more of a shell rather than a human being of flesh and blood. It was as bad as the months shortly following her father's death.  _Maybe that's why Katniss doesn't like to sing anymore. She had always used to, only it's a reminder of what has been. No one would want to look back if they were left to choose_.

Before she had gone out for the interview, she had met with Haymitch.

_"Hey there, sweetheart." Prim heard him murmur as he hugged her tight. As it turned out, they did not have much time for a heartfelt reunion - that was what it felt like, even though they had never been formally introduced before - after he released her. This had a variety of reasons, both practical and 'made up by the Capitol to torment them all' (in the old victor's own words) that had left her head as soon as Haymitch had finished listing them._

_He had coached her similar to her sister, unbeknownst to her. "You know who it is we're talking about. Those people in the audience don't want tears and desperate pleas - they get enough of that in the arena, there's never a shortage. What they love is celebration of this glorious event, gratitude and humility at being chosen to compete and humor, or at least their version of it. You have to be aloof and snarky to keep them off your back. Give them the impression that there's no way Katniss won't come back. It might just get her sponsors, too, if the Capitol takes a liking to you. You'll have to make them understand why anyone would ever take your place in the Games, aside from blood bounds. Do you understand?"_

_Prim had nodded. She did not know for certain what she was feeling, anyhow. Being given a direction to pursue made it easier._

Some part of her registered the deafening laughs from both the audience and Caesar, although she could not fathom why she had gotten that particular reaction. _Humor, or at least their version of it, indeed._  She still felt glad, even as her body went numb and her lips moved mechanically to grin.

"We've got a tough one here. But what else would we expect from the breathtaking sister of the girl on fire?" Caesar cried out, facing the crowd, who responded with tempestuous applause. Prim suppressed the urge to cover her ears to drown out the noise and leaned back in her chair.

Soon, she found herself recounting - very roughly, as not to endanger any inhabitant of District 12 who was not strictly following the law - her daily routine. Her flow of words did not seem to coax a negative reaction out of the Capitol crowd, much to her relief.

"I recently bought a goat." She blurted out, hit with the realization that she missed the dear creature.

 _Awww_ s echoed through the auditorium. Prim was left to wonder how it had come about that society had moved on from the sacrification of Lady to deities to the annual slaughter of children for its amusement.

"So, just between you and me, do you wonder how it all would have unraveled if you had been the one to enter the Hunger Games? From time to time? It'll be our little secret, I promise." Caesar winked at her, his eyes reflecting the stage's lightning.

Prim kept the smile plastered on her face. "You could say that."  _Every night every day every minute-_

Caesar laughed. "I suppose that's only natural. One does not get to be broadcast on national TV every day. I'm sure it definitely would have been something special. Who knows, maybe you will join as a tribute sometime in the future! What do you think, folks?" He turned to the audience, which was mindlessly roaring. Prim felt sick to her stomach and pinched her arm to keep herself from laughing out loud like a madwoman.  _No wonder the Capitol residents dye their skin turquoise. I've only spent a few hours here and already feel like I'm going crazy._

"But!" Her host raised his voice, managing the immediately tranquil audience like a trained puppy. It was obvious he held his viewers in the palm of his hand. "We only have so much time for each of our beloved guests."

The crowd moaned in displeasure, accompanied by Caesar's almost mockingly sorrowful expression and shake of his head. "I know, I know. We must bid goodbye to-", he grabbed hold of her hand, helped her stand up and stepped back to have a single spot of limelight shining on her, illuminating her sparkling dress, "- _Primrose Everdeen!_ You shall be missed greatly!"

On instinct and completely unaware of what she had done until she ran straight into Haymitch standing backstage with a glass of some drink she had never heard of in her life, she went over to Caesar and briefly hugged him.

It was not until she heard "Magnificent job, sweetheart." that she felt the tension leave her body. All the excitement and stress that had built up inside of her over the last few days was gone.

"That was some brilliant improvisation, hugging Caesar like that. You definitely earned sympathy points from this." The previous victor ruffled her hair with affection. She kept her mouth shut about how, just for a moment, she had craved the comfort of touch for herself and to no other gain.

All of a sudden, Prim's legs gave out under her and she would have fallen if Haymitch had not caught her. "Come on." He half-carried her across the corridor. "Wouldn't want to miss the newest evil trick the Gamemakers have thought of for your sister."

Weary as she was, she was grateful for his presence and sarcasm. "Do you think she'll win?" Her voice was quiet.

He hesitated. "She'd better. I've given up drinking for this, haven't I?"

 _Maybe it's morbid_ ,  _but why do I find this comforting? It's simply impossible for Haymitch to stop drinking if it doesn't mean success._

They entered the living room to be greeted by Effie and Cinna just in time to watch the male District 8 Tribute being mauled by a wild animal that reminded Prim of a squirrel.

Haymitch smirked, as if reveling in fond memories, only his expression was distorted in pain.

The suspenseful atmosphere dissipated as Effie burst out, "Prim, I absolutely _love_ your dress! What fabric is it made of? Did you sew it yourself?"

Haymitch rolled his eyes. They were in for a long day.


End file.
